1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to slingshots and more particularly to a hand and wrist strain releasing slingshot.
Slingshots have been in use for many years as toys, recreation, and for hunting.
Basically, a slingshot comprises a handle portion and a pair of arms diverging upwardly from the handle to which a pair of resilient strands are connected at one end and are provided at their other ends with a missile holding pocket or socket.
The sling frame can be of crude construction, for example, a forked tree branch. Alternatively, the frame can be more sophisticated in structure or fashioned for increased accuracy and less strain or tension on the arm and hand of a user as will presently be evident.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 2,807,254 issued Sep. 24, 1957 to Stribling for SLING SHOT discloses a rod-like U-shaped member in which the bight portion of the U-shape overlies the forearm of the user and the legs of the U-shaped member are transversely joined by a hand grip member. Forwardly projecting hook arms are secured to the legs of the U-shaped member and support one end of a pair of elastic tubes joined at their other ends to a missile holding pocket for launching a missile in response to stretching and releasing the resilient members.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,094 issued Feb. 11, 1975 to Sweeney for ARM BRACED AND STABILIZED SLINGSHOT discloses an upright handle and a fork for attachment to one end of a pair of elastic bands having a missile pocket secured to their other ends. A single rod extends from the depending end of the upright handle and extends along the lower side of the forearm of a user and is provided with an arm strap which secures the rod to the forearm for transferring slingshot missile pulling forces from the wrist of the operator to his upper forearm.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,212 issued May 5, 1981 to Wolf for HAND CATAPULT and U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,323 issued Jul. 27, 1993 to Saunders et al for SLINGSHOT CONSTRUCTION are believed to represent the further state-of-the-art. Each of these patents discloses a contoured handle member having upstanding diverging arms forming a fork to which ends of a pair of resilient members are attached having a pouch secured to their other ends for launching a missile. Each of the patents further include an arm or wrist overlying rearward extension in which resilient force of the elastic members is transferred to the upper surface of the user's forearm.
The present invention is believed distinctive over all of the above named patents by its parallel leg U-shaped frame construction and manner of attaching the frame legs to the forearm of a user to provide an easily adjustable construction for comfort of the user and accuracy of missile shot by the angular position of the slingshot forks relative to the frame as will be presently apparent from the following description.